Endings and beginnings
by ytteb
Summary: Yet another version of how Tony 'leaves'.


_Apologies to those readers who don't like team break up stories … this one wanted to be written._

The MCRT along with Abby and Ducky had assembled in the squad room getting ready to say goodbye. After a few moments of uncertainty, Gibbs realised that they were all looking to him for a lead.

"Everything packed up?" he asked.

"Yes," came the reply.

Before Gibbs could frame his words of command, Abby broke ranks and ran to put her arms round Tony.

"I'm going to miss you _so_ much," she sobbed, "you'd better keep in touch … or … well, I'm not sure what but it won't be pretty, mister!" She softened the impact of these threatening words by once again enfolding Tony in a fierce embrace.

"Indeed," said Ducky as he gently unwound Abby's arms from Tony's neck, "I would add my voice to Abigail's instruction. Do not be a stranger, dear boy." He held out his hand for Tony to shake and then patted him on the arm.

Tony swallowed against a surge of emotion and turned to McGee who was standing awkwardly off to one side,

"McProbieonelasttime, it's over to you now. Make sure you look after the Boss," he leaned forward and said conspiratorially, " _make sure you swap his coffee for decaf as often as you can."_

Tim said, in shock, "You've been doing that to Gibbs' coffee? Are you mad?"

"What's that?" said Gibbs, "someone been messing with my coffee?"

"No, Boss," said Tony smoothly, "it's just Senior Field Agent talk. Nothing to worry about." He made a frantic signal to McGee to keep his voice down. "Seriously, Tim, make sure you have Gibbs' six." Tim nodded. "And Tim, look after yourself as well. You're a big part of this team."

"I will, Tony," promised Tim, "and you look after yourself as well."

Tony nodded and then turned to Ellie who showed that she had something in common with Abby. Bishop opened her arms for a hug and, when Tony obliged, she whispered something in his ear which made him smile.

Gibbs had been watching the farewells and mentally braced himself for the final one.

"Not too late to change your mind," he said to Tony.

Everyone's eyes swivelled in Tony's direction as they waited to see what he would say.

"No," he said eventually, "decision's made. No going back now."

Gibbs gave a gentle sigh and then smiled, "OK. Good luck, Di … Tony. I know it pissed you off that I never said it in front of people, so I'll say it now. You're the best agent I've ever worked with. I'll miss you."

"Thanks, Boss …" said Tony.

"Not your Boss now," corrected Gibbs.

"For old times' sake," said Tony, "thanks, _Boss_ – that means a lot." He stopped, the words had all been said in private in Gibbs' basement the night before. There was no need to say them again.

Gibbs came and stood before Tony. He smiled and lifted his hand but there was no head slap but rather a caress of the back of the head.

"Watch your six," he ordered.

"Always, Jethro," said Tony with a slightly watery smile.

"All right," said Gibbs with a return to business, "let's get this show on the road"

"Yes, Boss," said the team as they gathered their belongings and, with a last look around the squad room, walked to the elevator. They waved once more to Tony before the elevator doors closed on them leaving Tony alone.

"They've gone, have they?" asked the Director walking down the stairs.

"Yes, Sir. Off to Quantico."

"Where's your team?" asked Vance.

"In the break room. Being tactful. They thought they'd leave me to say goodbye on my own."

Vance nodded. "Back to work then, Special Agent in Charge DiNozzo."

"Yes, Sir," said Tony as he walked towards Gibbs' old desk and sat down. He looked around the familiar space which now seemed less familiar. The Secretary of the Navy had decided to set up a new MCRT based in a state of the art building in Quantico and had appointed Gibbs to head it up. A parallel MCRT would remain in DC and, Vance intended, would deal especially with any cases which might have political sensitivity. The Quantico team would take the lead on any cases which involved terrorism or cybercrime.

Gibbs had hoped that Tony would remain as his SFA but DiNozzo had taken Vance's offer to lead up the DC team leaving McGee to step up as Gibbs' Senior Field Agent. It had been a hard decision but Bishop had eventually decided to go with Gibbs as their new responsibilities would be a better fit for her skills. Abby had agonised over whether to go to Quantico but the lure of Gibbs and a brand new lab had been too much for her. Ducky would float between the two offices but it was expected that more autopsies would be done at Quantico so he would spend more time there leaving Palmer able to take on his first ME role at the Navy Yard.

Tony's first responsibility had been to recruit a new team. He smiled as he saw them emerging from the break room.

Nikki Jardine had decided to make the move from analyst to probationary field agent. Tony wasn't entirely sure how that would work out but took comfort from the thought that she was never likely to contaminate a crime scene. Dwayne Wilson was taking up his first non-probationary role having done well in his previous assignments. Tony was glad to have appointed two people he already knew and got on with.

The Senior Field Agent role had been a bit more difficult to fill and he had had reservations when Vance had proposed Christian Jordan for the position. Jordan was a former Marines gunnery sergeant and Tony wasn't sure how he would feel about giving orders to a former gunny. He was only a couple of minutes into the interview, however, when he knew that Chris would be a good fit. It turned out that the gunny probably only had a pulse and a closet full of marine uniforms in common with Gibbs. This former gunny was calm, smiled easily, was a computer expert and was happily married to her childhood sweetheart who had just taken up a post as orthopaedic surgeon at Walter Reed.

"Sort yourselves out," he told his new co-workers, "we're on standby right away."

They all nodded and moved to their new desks.

"I brought donuts," said Chris, "David doesn't start work till next week so he had time to make them."

"Your husband bakes?" asked Tony. Chris nodded. "I knew you were the right person for the job!"

"David's a doctor," said Chris, "so he's fanatical about hygiene when he cooks." She looked pointedly at Nikki.

"Great," said Nikki as she bravely took an item of food prepared by someone else. She was rewarded by a look of approval from Tony.

"OK," said Tony, "I'm going down to Abby's … to the lab. Going to meet the new forensics guy."

The team nodded as they ate their donuts.

"Leave some for me," he ordered.

Tony considered the strangeness of going to what was no longer Abby's lab; he wondered what he would find and realised that it felt odd not to be going armed with a CafPow. He found himself feeling oddly nervous: the relationship with the new forensics technician would be an important one but he had not any input into the recruitment process. Tony took a deep breath as he entered the lab.

"Coltrane," he said in surprise as he heard jazz playing softly in the background.

"Yes," came the answer, "I hope that's OK? I can turn it off if you don't think it's appropriate?"

"No need," said Tony, "I love Coltrane. I'm To …"

"Tony DiNozzo. Yes, I know. Director Vance pointed you out when I came for interview. I'm John Smith."

Tony shook hands as he weighed up the new guy. He was a complete contrast to Abby, not just in gender but in appearance. He was of medium height and, with his brown hair and brown eyes, looked completely unremarkable and unmemorable. Tony couldn't see what he was wearing as a voluminous white lab coat covered his clothes completely.

"Jazz is one of my things," said Smith slightly nervously, "my partner and I play in a jazz quartet most weekends. You could come listen if you like jazz."

"Sounds good," said Tony. "How are you settling in?" He looked around the lab which was almost unrecognisable from when it had housed Abby. All her figurines and decorations had gone leaving the room looking a lot bigger.

"Fine," said Smith, "good. I'm just calibrating the new equipment. I was surprised that Ms Scuito opted to take the old mass spectrometer with her to Quantico. I'd have thought she'd want the latest version. Not that I'm complaining, you understand."

"Abby was … attached to old Major Mass Spectrometer," said Tony reminiscently.

"What?" asked Smith.

"You'll understand when you meet her," said Tony.

"I guess that's why she left me this," said Smith, as he held up a miniature Bert.

Tony smiled, "no lab is complete without a stuffed hippo. Well, in Abby's mind anyway." He reached out and squeezed newBert and laughed at John's shocked expression when a loud fart sounded round the lab. He was reassured, however, when John joined in the laugh.

As Tony looked round the lab feeling a slight sense of loss he smelled something. John noticed.

"I hope you don't mind. I've got a serious caffeine addiction and I don't always have time to run up to the break room to get a coffee."

"No worries," said Tony easily, "we're used to caffeinated lab techs here."

"So I've got my own coffee machine set up," continued John as he pointed to the inner office.

Tony followed his finger and smiled, "is that hazelnut creamer I see there?" he asked.

John blushed, "I have a sweet tooth so I like creamer. I've got some Irish cream and amaretto flavour as well. Not alcoholic, of course, just flavour."

"You and me are going to get on," said Tony confidently, "a man after my own heart."

"You like creamer too?" asked Smith, "well, feel free to come down and help yourself any time."

"Thanks," said Tony, "I'll do …" his voice trailed off as he saw something else in the inner office, "is that a basketball hoop?" he said.

"Yes," said John sheepishly, "I find shooting hoops calms me down. Helps me focus. Some of my best ideas have come when I throwing balls. Only sponge balls, of course, don't want to do any damage."

"You play ball?" asked Tony.

"Varsity for Duke," said Smith.

"You're a Blue Devil?" asked Tony.

Smith nodded.

"Put it there," said Tony, "I'm a Buckeye."

Smith and Tony swapped basketball stories for a while before Tony decided to check on his team. As he walked away he decided that, although he would miss Abby and her Abbiness, there were compensations in her replacement. He had barely returned to his desk when the phone rang. The new team members looked up expectantly as he ended the call.

Tony hesitated for a moment, wondering how to tell his troops to go into action.

"Dead petty officer in Rock Creek Park," he announced. Then he found the words, "Let's go, Team DiNozzo!"

They all smiled and grabbed their backpacks. Tony felt a moment of misgiving as he strode to the elevator. It felt odd not to be walking two paces behind Gibbs but then he glanced back and saw that Christian was a couple of steps behind him and that Nikki and Dwayne were in formation behind her. Somehow he thought everything was going to be OK. Different but OK and different could be good …

* * *

 _AN: the characters aren't mine. Although I guess Christian and John are … they have all gone back into the box._


End file.
